Overview
When a customer tries to purchase something they aren't eligible for—based on your geofencing or gating rules—Single pauses the order instead of automatically canceling it. This gives you control to review each case and decide the best course of action.
What are denied orders?
A denied order occurs when a customer attempts to purchase something they aren't eligible for based on your store's rules:
Geofencing: They're in a region where the product isn't available
Gating/Access rules: They don't have the required access (e.g., membership, token, previous purchase)
How denied orders are handled
When a customer attempts to purchase a restricted item, Single:
Places a hold: The order stays open with a fulfillment hold so it doesn't ship by mistake
Tags the order: The order appears in your Shopify admin with a
#single_deniedtag and reason (e.g., "missing access," "wrong region")Waits for you: You can review and decide whether to manually approve it, swap the item for an eligible one, or issue a refund
How to manage denied orders
Finding denied orders
Go to your Shopify admin
Navigate to Orders
Filter or search for orders tagged
#single_deniedClick on an order to see the specific reason it was denied
What you can do with a blocked order
Option 1: Issue a refund
Review the order in Shopify
Click Refund and proceed with the refund process as usual
The fulfillment hold is automatically released
Option 2: Manually approve the order
If you want to override the restriction and fulfill the order anyway, you can remove the hold
Go to the fulfillment section and proceed with fulfillment as normal
Option 3: Swap the item
Contact the customer to offer an alternative product they're eligible for
Create a new order or adjust the existing one in Shopify
Then handle the refund or fulfillment accordingly
Why are denied orders handled this way?
By pausing orders instead of automatically canceling them, you have the flexibility to:
Decide the best experience for your fans based on your business rules
Handle edge cases or exceptions manually
Have full visibility into what's happening with restricted orders
Common scenarios
Scenario 1: Regional exclusive
A fan outside your geofenced region tries to buy a regional exclusive. You can decide whether to make an exception, swap for a different product, or refund.
Scenario 2: Membership requirement
Someone without membership tries to buy member-only content. You can reach out and offer membership, swap for a public product, or refund.
Scenario 3: System error
If there's ever an issue with your access rules, you have full control and can manually approve orders that should have gone through.
Need help?
If you have questions about managing denied orders or need to troubleshoot a specific situation, reach out to our support team. We're here to help.